Today in the tournament opener, we played one of our very best all-around games of the year-- oustanding pitching, defense and offense...and we did so against quality opposing pitching. We've now won four straight games, and are just two wins shy of the 40-win plateau...for what would be the 20th consecutive season. Let's replicate today's performance tomorrow afternoon, stay in the winners bracket and close in on locking up that regional host birth for Reckling Park next weekend.

Tomorrow vs. MTSU in the winners bracket-- scheduled game time at 4:00pm CT, but given it's the 3rd game, might very well be a bit later. Blake Fox going against either...

RS Sr RHP Paul Mittura: 17 app, 10 starts, 4-3, 4 saves, 68.1 IP, 3.82 ERA, .286 BAA, 14 BBs, 41 Ks, 17 extrabase hits
Jr LHP Jonathan Frebis: 14 starts, 4-5, 69.1 IP, 4.41 ERA, .272 BAA, 36 BBs, 47 Ks, 17 extrabase hits

Both have given up more than a hit an inning pitched, and neither is much of a strikeout pitcher. The left-hander has struggled more with his control, and teams are also 12-13 in SBs vs. Frebis. Mittura is their regular Saturday starter, so one can presume he will be the starting pitcher tomorrow, though no announcement has been made to date. Their bullpen is solid, but not elite level.

Offensively, they are hitting .272/.353/.393 as a team, with 30 HRs, 121 doubles/triples. 34-51 SBs (only 60%) and averaging 5.3 runs per game. They're led by Trent Miller (350/.381/.538, 26 doubles/triples, 5 HRs, 45 RBIs), Dustin Delgado (.306/.405/.370, 13 doubles/triples, 30 RBIs) and one of their three sluggers, Jared Allen (.265/.349/.488, 10 HRs, 14 doubles/triples, 33 RBIs, 7-12 SBs)...though Delgado got injured late in today's game and may not be available against us. They have four hitters hitting over .290, and three guys with 5+ HRs. Only one batter has more than 3 sac bunts (Bryant with 10), and Allen and Ryan Stephens (9-9 SBs) are the only stolen base threats. They do, however, strikeout a ton (just under 7 Ks per game), with every regular having racked up 30+ strikeouts, with two having fanned 50+ times. (Blake Fox struck out 7 in his 8 innings of 3-hit, shutout ball against MTSU back in late March.) One possible advantage they may have is that their a right-handed laden lineup, with only one switch hitter and one true left-handed hitter amongst the regulars. Having said that, Blake's best pitch is his changeup, which works well against free-swinging right-handed hitters such as MTSU's lineup.

They are an excellent defensive team, having posted a .975 fielding percentage. However, opposing teams have run on them (59-76 SBs) at a 78% success rate.

Here's the detailed preview I posted prior to our March 28th series at MTSU...
http://www.csnbbs.com/thread-684037.html

Here's the Blue Raiders' schedule and results to date...
http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2014/sch...-Tennessee

Here's their individual and team stats...
http://www.goblueraiders.com/content.cfm/id/77115

Here's their roster...
http://www.goblueraiders.com/roster.cfm/...eason/2014

Here's their game notes for the tournament...
http://www.goblueraiders.com/content.cfm/id/77092

So long as Blake has his good command, and changes speeds well, and our defense stays clean (unlike our last series vs. MTSU), we should be in good shape. Let's continue to ride the winners bracket all the way to the championship. Go Owls!

MTSU comes into today's game winners of 5 straight games, and eight of their last nine games. Overall, they are now 31 - 25 (9-14 on the road, 17-13 in CUSA, 5-6 vs. Top 50, 11-15 vs. Top 100, #80 RPI, #89 ISR, #101 SoS).

Mittura and Fox, the two likely starting pitchers today were CUSA co-pitchers of the week last week.